453 Jews visited the Temple Mount over Purim, according to the Temple Mount Administration, 55 percent more than did so last year on Purim, and many more than the previous record number who visited on Purim - 315 Jews who did so in 2020.
Police securing the site allowed families with children to visit the Mount, including those in Purim costumes. Many families including those with babies in strollers took advantage of the opportunity, and despite calls on Arab social media for riots at the holy site in order to prevent Jews from entering, calm prevailed throughout. Police removed several people suspected of trying to instigate riots.
Rabbis Yitzhak Brand, Pinchas Engel, Eliyahu Weber, and Elisha Wolfson were among those visiting the Mount, as well as former MK Yehuda Glick.
The Temple Mount Administration is currently making preparations for an expected increase in the number of those visiting the Mount during the Jewish month of Nissan (which begins in two weeks' time), which this year will coincide with the Muslim month of Ramadan. Record numbers of visitors are expected on Rosh Chodesh (the first of the month) and during the upcoming Passover holiday. At present, the Mount is expected to be open to Jewish visitors in the mornings, and efforts are being made to prevent the closing of the site during the afternoon.